Improving your digital marketing begins with better planning, which means having specific, targeted goals that drive action. It’s easy to say, “We want more sales” or “We want more website traffic.” But these types of broad statements are only beneficial if you can turn them into actionable goals that drive your business forward. SMART marketing goals can help you get more specific so that you have more success.
Goals can fall apart or be easily disregarded. When several people are involved in a company's success, reaching a consensus on what success should look like is tougher. But when you put more care into planning and creating your marketing goals, they become easier to execute.
What Are SMART Marketing Goals?
First, the SMART formula is a way to set goals that can improve your organization. This formula can help you set relevant, achievable goals within a certain time frame. It makes everything specific and eliminates the need to guess what must be done for success.
Specific – Your goal should establish what needs to be accomplished and how it will be achieved. It should lay out who is involved, and the resources involved in the process. It’s easier to plan. Laying this information out at the onset makes it more reachable.
Measurable – Making your goal measurable allows you to know when you’ve met your goal or not. If you want to increase sales through your website, that is more of a vague wish than a goal. But if you want to increase sales by 50 percent, that gives you something specific to aim for and becomes the solid foundation for a goal.
Achievable – This is where it pays to be realistic. You may want whatever it is. But are you in the best position to realistically achieve it? Be honest. Your goal should challenge you and stretch you. But it does need to be achievable.
Relevant – It’s time to ask yourself a few basic questions. Why does this specific goal matter to you? Does this goal line up with your other goals and the general direction of your company? It must be worthwhile, with the right timing, and align with your company’s mission, vision, and values.
Time-Bound – Some sort of timetable makes your goal much more realistic. When you have a deadline, it’s easier to prioritize action on your long-term goals over day-to-day tasks.
How to Incorporate SMART Goals In Your Marketing
“I want to increase website traffic” is more of a wish than a goal. “I want to increase website traffic by 50 percent by the end of the calendar year” gives you something specific and measurable with a deadline. As long as it is also relevant and achievable for you, it’s a SMART goal for your marketing. The same can be said with increasing conversions, leads, downloads, or similar metrics.
When It Comes to Achievable Goals, You Have Help
SMART goals need to be achievable and realistic, as discussed above. They need to stretch your organization. But before you write off a potential SMART goal as unachievable, it’s essential to understand your options.
Working on your marketing goals doesn’t need to involve making new hires. It doesn’t need to mean that you stretch your current resources too thin. You can hire an experienced digital marketing agency to help meet your goals, often for less than the cost of hiring one new employee.
Call us today at (630) 553-0000 to learn how we can help you meet your marketing goals!
